Greenwich Point reopens; town looking forward

David Hennessey

Updated 4:38 pm, Sunday, November 18, 2012

The reopening of a still-scarred Greenwich Point -- even with restrictions -- Saturday in the wake of Hurricane Sandy is cause for celebration. But the real joy may come when warmer temperatures arrive.

The odds that the bucolic park will be fully restored by spring are good, according to one town official.

Jeff Freidag, marine and facilities operations superintendent, said town workers from various departments -- including marine and facilities operations, building, and parks and recreation -- as well as FEMA personnel, have collaborated to restore the space since Sandy blew through last month and devastated the shoreline.

"I think people will be pleasantly surprised when they come in," Freidag said. "The amount of work the town crews did down there was wonderful."

Though the park suffered serious tree damage and the storm altered the face of the shoreline, Freidag is confident much of Greenwich Point will eventually look similar to its pre-storm condition in time for a full opening by the spring season.

For now, visitors will have to deal with more limited access. The park will be open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., but bicycling, roller blading and similar activities are prohibited until further notice, according to town officials.

Visitors are urged to avoid areas of the Point that have been blocked off for public safety.

Those areas include the walking path and the southern tip of the bluff, Freidag said.

The sand that washed inland from the beaches "had to all be moved out of the parking lot and the main roadway," he said, and the gas line to the Seaside Museum and north concession stand is shut off.

Workers from the building department also had to shore up some of the structures on the Point, which is still without electricity after Sandy trashed two of its transformers, Freidag said.

The town hired a log expediter to come in and remove trees that posed a threat to public safety.

"The crazy thing is all four bridges are there," he said, though the bridges are barricaded and cannot be traversed.

Though some of the park is off-limits, the service road in the back marsh area is open, as is the boat yard. Docks have been repaired, and the Old Greenwich Yacht Club pier, which shifted during the storm, has been moved back into place.

Still, there is work to be done before Greenwich Point is restored to its full splendor.

Debris from Sandy continues to wash up on shore, necessitating ongoing cleanup efforts, and repair work is needed in the pavilion areas and to some of the buildings.

Freidag urged visitors to be alert that the highway department is using the parking lot as a debris staging area.

Periodic road closures also will take place because of the ongoing storm cleanup, and officials are urging visitors to be mindful of large vehicles operating inside the park.